one way or another: a ring leader costume

Every year without fail, a few weeks before Halloween, I start feeling the pressure to come up with a clever and creative costume. In large part, it’s self-imposed because I’m not willing to go the expected route as a witch, ghost, or sexy _____ {fill in the blank with any profession like doctor, policeman, etc.}.

But this year was different. As soon as our house starting becoming a reality and I dreamt of hosting a Hallowine party, I knew what I wanted to be — a circus ring leader.

Clearly, those costumes would not fit in properly with my black & burlap Hallowine party theme, nevermind the fact that they’re a little over-the-top for my tastes. So, to put my own spin on things, I headed to Forever 21 to help me create an affordable, all-black ring leader costume.

By taking what might be an “expected” costume {heck, Britney Spears performed as a ring leader once upon a time} and adjusting it to work for my fictional party, I think I created something that’s a bit more fun and definitely more unique. Plus, at $91 it’s less than you might spend for a store-bought costume with all the fixings.

As an added bonus, I’m sure I can find ways to re-wear the dress, blazer, and some of the accessories {granted the top hat will probably be a one-time wear} so the money certainly isn’t wasted.

So tell me, are you dressing up this year? Any fun, creative costume ideas to share?